Summary – Gimli finds out something very interesting about the human the Elves of Rivendell are hiding

Under the Mountains

Part 1

Gimli hadn't meant to get lost, of course right now that fact couldn't be helped but it could all change in a moment or two. He wished he had taken the map his Uncle had offered him, but he hadn't and it galled him right at this moment. Stroking his beard, Gimli decided it was time to make camp for the night, the sun would set soon and he needed enough light to see by in order to start a fire and catch some food.

He was sure that sooner or later he would come to the southern entrance of the mountain, it was very close to the Elvin home of Rivendell but Gimli was sure that no elf would be terribly close to the entrance. Elves hated caves after all.

Gimli set up his tent and made a fire pit in the middle of the glade, he took his ax into the woods to hunt up some dinner. He tried to be as quiet as he could, well, for a dwarf this wasn't a thing they could do, but Gimli didn't think that anyone was near by. That was, till he heard the singing of a young voice.

"The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began,"

Gimli stopped behind some terribly tall bushes to see into the clearing, he saw an old man smoking his pipe with a long grey beard and a human. However, it was the ring the human wore on his left hand that caught his eye.

"Mithrandir," the boy spoke in Westron, it was native to the boy.

"Yes?" the wizard (for that was obvious by all appearances) replied.

"Why did Adar tell me now? He told me about…"

"Shhh, the trees have ears," the wizard said.

"Right, but still…" the boy trailed off.

"Estel, you must understand that this is a very important secret you must keep. If anyone outside of Rivendell were to find out you will be in grave danger,"

"I've been in grave danger before," the boy's tone was derisive.

"I've been kidnapped, beaten, poisoned, and almost had my throat slit on several occasions,"

"All for revenge against Lord Elrond," Mithrandir said with a propped eyebrow.

"Still, what makes this…any different from that?"

"I don't suppose it does, but you mustn't tell a soul,"

"I know, I was just wondering…"

"Your Adar thought it was time, he has a good sense of timing,"

"Or you gave him a bit of a nudge," the boy laughed.

"True, that could be it as well,"

"Elledan and Elrohir told me about my real Ada,"

"And, what did you learn?"

"I learned that he was a great friend, but that I have always been their brother and always will be," the boy said.

"Good, family is very important,"

"I know, but…I don't know if I can…do what the prophecy has said I should,"

"What do you mean?" the wizard asked.

"What if…what if I fail?"

"That won't happen," Mithrandir said.

"Well, not yet. But what if I die by an orc blade or…what if…what if its something as terrible as a cold? I'd rather die in battle," the boy sighed, he took a seat besides his mentor.

"That shant happen,"

"That's what you say,"

"Don't you trust me, Estel?"

"Yes, I trust you,"

"However, all young ones must find their own voice in this world,"

"Mine happens to be nowhere to be found,"

"It takes time, these sorts of things aren't easy at all,"

Gimli listened to the two talk on; soon the wizard had to go back for a meeting, but the boy had decided to stay and think a bit more. He twirled the ring on his thumb in admiration and…despair. Gimli, however, knew that ring. The ring of Barahir had been made by the Dwarves and was a token of gratitude to the Elvin Lord Finrod, it was then passed down to those of the Heir's of Isildur so long ago that the Dwarves weren't even sure where it had gone.

But there it was once more, an ancient treasure and this boy. Estel, was the key…this boy had to be the current Heir of Isildur. And in that case, if the law he had grown up with wasn't wrong or changed….then there was only one thing for Gimli to do.

Silently (well, for a dwarf that is) he circled around, the boy was deep in thought and so did not hear the rustling that his brothers would have detected the second the little being had moved. Gimli took his time to get behind the human, not that he cared. Estel sighed and put his head in his hands, that was when Gimli striked. Estel fell into darkness, unsure of what had happened.

Gimli, being a dwarf of some strength was able to carry (drag) the boy back to his camp, with coarse rope, Gimli tied the human hand and foot, only because he knew the boy would not go without a fight and as a second thought, he gagged the boy as well. He then settled down with some jerky meet he had in his pack. The boy before him (he noted) couldn't be no more than thirteen years old. With pale skin and dark hair he could have passed for an elf if it wasn't for the Dunedain blood that was so very apparent.

Gimli settled down for a short sleep, when the boy woke he would ask where exactly they were and then make plans from there. Hopefully his Uncle would have a better idea of what to do with the Heir of Isildur.

ARGE! What a bloody headache…I wonder why….Estel open one eye as much as he could. The sky above him was glowing red and orange, which meant that it was either morning or it was just beginning to become night. Blinking harshly, Estel cleared his vision as much as he could, only to discover three things. A) he was tied hand and foot, b) he was gagged, and c) there was a dwarf paying much attention to him.

"Ah, your awake then lad, good," the being said. Estel blinked at him, the dwarf fiddled with his beard before striding over to Estel, "Now, promise not to yell and I'll take this gag off, is it a deal?"

Estel nodded, he wanted liberty to speak.

"Who are you? Why have you taken me prisoner?" Estel spoke Westron to the dwarf.

"I am Gimli, son of Balin, and as for taking you…it is rather difficult to explain," the dwarf said.

"I seem to have plenty of time," the boy replied, Gimli laughed.

"I suppose you do, however, my own father will be able to do it better then I. Now, tell me, how far are we from you home?"

"Three miles North west," the boy replied. Maybe being so close to Imaldris would frighten the dwarf; however, Gimli sat back on his heels in contemplation.

"My Adar is going to worry if I do not arrive home soon, it is in your best interest to let me go, unless you want the Lord of Rivendell to punish you," the boy said.

Gimli was torn between amusement of this ruse, and sheer terror. He had heard how crazy elves could get and he wasn't at all looking forward to the wrath of Elrond, Lord of Imaldris. However, the fact that he had the Heir of Isildur….the power that name wielded was enough to make his mouth water. He shook his head of these thoughts and patted the boy's head.

"I cannot do that, laddy," he said.

"Why not, your going against the laws of…"

"I will chance it, I would rather go against the law of elves than my own people," Gimli silenced the boy.

"We shall stay here for tonight and tomorrow we will enter the mountain,"

Gimli gave the boy a dinner of jerky and tea before he bedded down. He tied another rope from the bonds of Estel to his wrist, he would awake if Estel made any move to escape. Knowing that he was trussed up in too many ways to hope for a way to escape, Estel fell into a fitful sleep.

Lord Elrond of Imaldris was terribly worried; why his son had not come home was beyond him though he feared it was the fact that Estel's heritage had finally been made known to him. The boy had been entranced since their meeting and distracted to the point that he could be seriously hurt if he had practiced with his brothers. Gandalf had taken the boy out to think, but had come back alone. Gandalf had said to give it time.

Time was something Elrond didn't have. The sea longing was getting strong, but he knew that he had to stay for Estel. The boy looked up to him and called him "Adar" which was an honor none of the other Heir's had given him. Estel hadn't even become big headed because of this news. Elrond had seen many Heir's think it was their right that others did things for them, but Estel was different…more humble.

Which Elrond was glad for, his son would need it in the upcoming years.

"Where do you think he went, Ada?" Elledan and Elrohir had been keeping him company, they had begun a game of chess while their father had looked out the huge picture window. The balcony doors had been thrown open and the scent of rain was apparent to all in the room.

"Maybe he has lost track of time," Elrohir suggested.

"Should we go look for him?" Elledan asked.

"I don't know…he didn't seem hostile…" Elrohir said.

"What if something befell him?"

"You worry too much, my brother, there haven't been any orc's near Imaldris since ten years ago,"

"You are right 'Ro,"

"Of course I am,"

"We shall give him a few hours more, he will come home to sleep in his bed," Elrond decided.

When morning came, Estel had wished it was all a bad dream, for a moment he thought it was, but when he moved and his blood began to flow faster within his limbs and the sharp needles of pain woke him enough to know that he was still the prisoner of Gimli, son of Balin. He moaned as his bonds around the ankles were cut and he was made to get to his feet.

Gimli had Estel walk first, now that he knew which way to go it wouldn't be long till they got to the entrance into the Mountain's of his ancestors. The elves of course didn't know that Dwarves lived so near, and if Gimli had his way, they never would.

"So, what exactly is this law that makes it legal to kidnap me?" the boy asked. He was very curious but all children were and it made Gimli smile.

"Like I have said before, that is up to my Uncle,"

"Can't you give me a clue at least?"

"Fine, you are the Heir of Isildur," Gimli held up a hand to stop the human from talking, he pushed the boy forward, "I know by the ring on you hand," he fingered it but he left it on the boys hand. "It is not mine, but it belongs to the dwarves nonetheless, therefore, you belong to us as well,"

"I am no ones treasure," Estel said with a bit of anger in his voice.

"I told you that my Uncle would be able to explain it better than I," Gimli shrugged. He had tried.

"This is absurd!"

"Do not worry, Fili, we shall be home soon,"

"What did you just call me?" Estel looked behind him.

"I do not know what Estel means, however, in my language, Fili means hope,"

"Brilliant! Just what I need, another race to revere my destiny, just brilliant,"

This comment got a chuckle from the dwarf.

A/N – Okay, so there are a few things about this story that are AU. First of all, I am making it so that Gimli is older than Aragorn by a hundred and some odd years. Don't ask. Secondly, I don't know dwarvish and for this story I am going to make it so that everything not italicized is in Westron, anything that appears otherwise is either in Sinadarin (if elves are talking) or dwarvish (if dwarves are speaking). Remember, Dwarves don't like to teach other beings their language, they'd rather learn the other languages of the races. They prefer to keep their language a secret.

Also, I know that Aragorn gave Arwen the ring of Barahir when he met her and that made them betrothed, but for this story, I am pretending that he hasn't met Arwen yet. He is also Fifteen, Gimli only thinks he's younger.

Well, I don't think there is anything else, please review!

Ta, Dizzy